Michael O’Brien’s ‘The Face of Texas’ exhibit at KC

by Piney Woods Live Staff

O'Brien's lens captures Texas musicians like Destiny's Child of Houston, Kinky Friedman, accordionist Johnny Degollado and Austin singer/songwriters Willie Nelson, Darden Smith and Kelly Willis.

Destiny’s Child, photographed by Michael O’Brien.

The Kilgore College Visual Arts Department will display “The Face of Texas Exhibit,” featuring the works of Michael O’Brien from Aug. 27 through Sept. 27 in the Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts Gallery on the Kilgore campus.

O'Brien is an Austin photographer who has spent the last two decades capturing “The Face of Texas” in photographs.

Originally published as a book by Bright Sky Press in 2003, O'Brien's photographs have been organized as a traveling exhibition by The Old Jail Art Center in Albany, Texas, and were on display at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin from Oct, 1, 2005 through Jan. 8, 2006.

The exhibit includes 43 of O'Brien's large-scale photographs that celebrate the individuality and independent spirit of Texas through portraits of its people -- a fascinating and diverse array of native and adoptive Texans, from powerful big-city movers to unique small-town characters.

Accompanying text by his wife and former reporter for Life, Elizabeth O'Brien, tells the stories behind the arresting images.

Some of the more recognizable faces in the exhibit belong to President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.

An image of Lady Bird Johnson, taken in 1989, shows her at home at the LBJ Ranch, poised on a white sofa, her bright yellow skirt an echo of the yellow wall behind her.

An avid music fan, O'Brien's lens captures Texas musicians like Destiny's Child of Houston, Kinky Friedman, accordionist Johnny Degollado and Austin singer/songwriters Willie Nelson, Darden Smith and Kelly Willis.

"Gatorfest Queen, Anahuac, 1989". The subject of the photograph is Shannon Perry of Anahuac, Texas, who was crowned the Gatorfest Queen--the first ever, in 1989.

O'Brien also focuses on Texas sports figures, from track star Carl Lewis to football greats Earl Campbell, Troy Aikman and The University of Texas football coach Mack Brown.

Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday. Admission is free.

For more information, contact Carolyn Fox-Hearne, gallery director, at 903-983-8128.